Have you ever noticed that parks and wooded areas often seem cooler than a street landscape? It isn’t just your imagination: shade from trees can reduce surrounding air temperatures by as much as 58°C. Tree-shaded neigbourhoods really are cooler than those with few or no trees.
The town of Markham web site cites Colorado State University research indicating that landscaping can reduce heating bills by as much as 25 per cent and cooling bills by 50 per cent or more. Through the strategic planting of deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves), evergreen shrubs and other vegetation around your home, you can reduce your need for central air conditioning.

Trees are very effective in keeping sun away from your windows, while cooling breezes pass underneath and circulate around your house. A 1.8 metre to a 2.4 metre deciduous tree planted near your home will begin to shade windows in its first year. If they’re tall enough, they will also help to shade your roof and keep the heat out of your attic.

Bushes, shrubs, hedges and ground-cover plants also have an important role to play. They fill in rapidly to shade walls and windows, and also help to block heat reflection from patios and pavement. When planted around your central air conditioning unit, they serve to pre-cool the air going into your home. Remember to keep all shrubs well-pruned and remove grass and leaves around the unit to ensure good ventilation and airflow.

Quick-growing, climbing vines on a lattice or trellis are also an excellent natural shade device, especially for patio areas. Planting trees and shrubs in key areas around your home will reduce heating costs as well by providing protection from winter winds and cold. In fact, putting just a little thought into landscaping is a good long-term investment to reduce home heating and cooling costs.